Redemption
by Emerald Lionheart
Summary: Aeris and Reno centered.


Disclaimer: Since I don't own this, you can't sue, but you can be nice and leave a review.

Scene Change

'Thoughts'

Not so much an Aeris/Reno fic. It's more of a friendship thing so I hope you like it.

                "'Lena? Hey, are you listening to me?" I scowled at Elena as she buried her head under the pillows.

How tired can she and Rude be? What'd they do anyway? 

…

…Eww, I did not need to picture that. 

…

I need a drink…

Since Tseng has been gone, and Avalanche and the traitor took over Shinra, me, Rude, and Elena have been living together. It's okay, I mean, we make enough money to pay for the apartment, not counting all the money Rude, Elena, and Tseng saved while Shinra was up and running. But it's not the same. 

…  
I still need a drink…

                Avalanche has been doing a good job, I'm not joking. And I appreciate that, really. But…

Damn it! I really need a drink!

…Sorry 'bout that.

                "Here Reno." Rude hands me a bottle of whiskey. The Cetra bless him.

Heh-heh, that's my new saying. Tseng used to say it all the time.  

He always said Cetra, never Ancient. 

That reminds me, the old Turk, Vincent Valentine? He's guarding the Flower Girl's church. From monsters, thieves, me…

…

Rude prays there.

Yeah, you heard me. Rude prays. Vincent lets him, too.

…

Elena goes with him sometimes. She always brings back flowers. They still grow there. Vincent says that the Flower Girl's spirit is still there. I think it's because those two kids hang around there all the time, taking care of the flowers. 

…

Tch! Outta whiskey. 

                "Reno, I'm going shopping. Want anything?" Elena finally woke up and is going on her weekly shopping adventure.

                "Bring me back some dark chocolate, would ya?" I love dark chocolate. Love it love it love it!

Yeah…

                "That's not healthy, y'know? I read that…"

I ignore Elena's babble. 

I always do come to think about it. 

Elena realizes I'm ignoring her and leaves for the store. I love dark chocolate.

The Flower Girl liked dark chocolate too. Tseng bought a box for her, and I _accidentally_ ate it. 

Heh-heh, accidentally is fun word.   
…

…

What's the Flower Girl's name?  
Aesis? Aery? Air? Aero? I called her Ris once. (1) 

                "Oi! Rude what's the Flower Girl's name?"

No answer. 

Must be at the church.

                "Reno? Is Rude or Elena here?" Vincent comes in. 

His cape is all sweepy.

Hell, he's all vampiric and gloomy and spooky looking, with a cool sweepy cape!

                "Nope." I stop thinking about how his cape would look on me and ask that all important question, "What's that Flower Girl's name?"

…Eh…not _that_ important but still!

                "Aeris Gainsborough. Why?" Vinnie looks all curious now.

Doesn't he know that curiosity killed the cat?  
In his case, it killed the vampire cat.

…

…With a cool sweepy cape…

Vinnie's looking at me funny…

I hope I didn't say that out loud. The cat part, I mean.

                "Just wondering. I couldn't remember."

I couldn't, mommy, I really couldn't!

…

Still looking funny.

Looking funny at me.

If that makes since…

…

I just realized, it doesn't.

I want Vinnie's cape. 

All I want for Christmas is Vinnie's cape!

…Eh…yeah…

                "Are all right, Reno?"

Since when did Vinnie talk so much?

                "I'm fine."

A talkative vampire with a cool sweepy cape.

…

How many of those exist?

                "See you around Reno." Vinnie leaves, taking his soon-to-be-mine cape.

Meany.

I wanna talk to the Flower G- Aeris. Her name's Aeris, and I wanna talk to her.

Why?

…

She was cute.

Bunny-rabbit cute.

…

Honey Bee's Bunny cute.

Like Tifa, only innocent.  'Cause Tifa doesn't look innocent, but that's because she runs a bar.

…

Right…

Rude and Tifa sitting in a tree.

…

Oi! I need another drink.

Hey! I forgot about that. Vincent left the White and Black materias here so we'd guard 'em. 

…And the White one's glowing.

Eh…is that good?  
…

It's moving towards me! 

Glowy…

Bright…

WHAT THE HELL?!

                "WHAT THE HELL?!" I shriek and fall out of my chair. Aeris looks sheepish and kneels down next me.

…

Hey, I didn't know you could see up Aeris' skirt when she kneels like that.

Eh-Heh…

                "Reno! Are you alright? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that!" Damn, my head hurts.

                "Tch! You didn't scare me, you surprised me… Not to say I was off guard or anything, I would've been able to handle any attack…" Stop making a fool of yourself, Reno!   
                "Oh! Are you-"   
                "Fuck!" My head!

                "You're bleeding! Hold still." Aeris puts her hands on my head and hey- that feels good!

…

Not like that, you fellow perverts!

                "Thanks, Ris." She healed me! I'm special!  
Really special!  
Eh…yeah.

                "How are you, beside me injuring you and all?" Aeris sits on the floor, legs underneath her. I get back in my chair and sit like always, my legs over one armrest and my head on the other.

                "I've been better, why are you here?"  
                "Ah…straight to point. Fair enough. I came to get away from the Cetra. They don't trust me 'cause I'm half-human." Damn, don't she ever get a break?

                "Damn, don't you ever get a break?"  
                "It's not like that! I mean, I'm respected by them, because of what I did but…"

                "They don't like you."

                "Yeah… It probably because of what I did…"  
                "Wha?"  
                "Rufus, Tseng, and Sephiroth are with me in the Promised Land." 

Really?

                "Why?"

                "They deserve it."  
I'm angry. All three are murderers! How many people have they killed? And she trusts them?!  
                "They don't deserve it! Tseng tried to capture you and he's killed tons of people! Rufus ruled with fear and slaughtered thousands for the Promised Land! Sephiroth killed you!" I sit up and glare at her. How can she be so forgiving, damn it?

                "Tseng saved me, and my mother, Elmyra. Sephiroth was controlled by Jenova. Rufus is seventeen years old." She's so damn calm.

                "THEY'RE MURDERERS! I'M A MURDERER!" I bellow at her.

                "Reno…everyone deserves a second chance…" Aeris puts her hand on my face, cupping my cheek. "Them, Cloud, Elena, Rude, Vincent, they all deserve a second chance and they got it." Aeris smiles sadly.

They did, didn't they? They have their second chance.

                "Do…do I…do I deserve a second chance?" I whisper, shakily.

                "Yes Reno. And you got it, you just have to take it." Aeris whispers back, her jade eyes staring into my own Prussian blues.

I realize what she means.

…

I know now…

I'm gonna take my chance for redemption, and Aeris'll help me.

                "Thank you…" She hugs me, much like a mother. Not my mother but like a mother should hug her child. 

                "Thank you, Reno." She whispers and I realize that I'm starting to become a spirit.

Bye-bye Rude, Elena, Vinnie.

 Her wings are white, with a pink trim. 

Mine have navy blue trim and Vincent laughs whenever Elena calls me an angel.

Me and Ris are guarding the church with Vincent and I know what Elena and Vincent were saying when they said Aeris' spirit was at the church.

…

Tch! I am not an Angel!   
The Cetra don't mind me too much, although they don't trust me. The manor is pretty big; everyone gets their own room. Rufus is acting like a kid most the time. Tseng finds hilarious. Seph's okay, protective of Aeris, but he doesn't kill anyone.

…

Eh…

Heh-heh…

I'm glad I found my redemption.

…

Oi, I need a drink!

…

Well there you go. The ending's kinda rushed, but it didn't turn out too bad.

(1) I know he called her 'Sis' but I like to think he meant 'Ris'.


End file.
